Puzzle enthusiasts will be delighted with the launch of today’s challenging cryptic crossword, No 30,127. Fans can engage their minds with this intriguing puzzle, featuring various clever clues that offer a mix of wordplay and lateral thinking. Whether you prefer solving on your device or printing it out for a classic experience, today’s crossword ensures enjoyment for all.
Exciting Across Clues
Test your skills with the across clues, beginning with 1 across, a nine-letter word for ‘Rubber bird I replaced by middle of May’. Another clue, 6 across, describes the best comedian with a shaved head (5 letters). Don’t miss the tantalising 10 across, challenging solvers to identify a piquant quality associated with Moroccan dishes, including new spices, primarily (9 letters).
For word enthusiasts who enjoy exploring more lengthy clues, 12 across, 15 across, and 23 across together offer a brainteaser: ‘Mere end-of-year claptrap at work, or a good way to reward staff?’ This requires a three-part answer consisting of 11-7 and 3 letters.
Intriguing Down Clues
The down clues offer their own unique challenges, starting with 1 down, a riddle depicting something ‘Maybe Joey’ that leaves a motor racing track unexpectedly (4-3 letters). Delve into the seven-letter clue 2 down, concerning gossip about someone being smarter. A more elaborate challenge is presented in 3 down, where you must identify a Vietnamese soup described as ‘super when condensed, essentially – it reacts with proteins’ (11 letters).
Other highlights include 13 down, involving a phrase to describe ‘Having many locations’, integrating elements of university and millions (11 letters). For a seven-letter answer, 20 down entices with ‘Better assistant is trendy sort with time for husband’. Lastly, puzzlers can conclude with the challenge of 25 down, simply a three-letter term for ‘A number going naked the day before’.
Cryptic crossword lovers can delve into these carefully crafted clues, blending logical thinking with creative deduction, for a truly engaging puzzle-solving experience.
Reporting based on coverage first published by theguardian.com.